Saturday, November 16, 2013

The Next Dress

I don't make a lot of dresses, mostly because it's rare to have an occasion to wear them and I don't find them terribly comfortable. Give me jeans and a sweater ANY day.

It just so happens that there's a new occasion which makes for the perfect excuse to make a new dress. I could wear the last dress I made: Vogue 12069, made a year and a half ago, but the last time I wore it (about two months ago) I realized I have been eating too many cinnamon buns so it was not as comfortable as it should have been. I've put myself on a much better eating plan, but I'm dying to try two new (to me) patterns.

The community theatre group that B and I are involved in is having their 50th Anniversary Gala this new year's eve. We've both been asked to sing as part of the entertainment, ergo, new dress. These are my two choices:

Not one person has made the Cynthia Rowley and been moved to share it on the web. I don't feel great about those odds, but I think maybe no one has attempted it because of all the seams. Looking more closely, I'm really just seeing a princess line dress with an attached skirt. It will definitely require a muslin (or three probably) and I might change the construction order so the fitting process is a little more straightforward.

I fell in love with the blue version with the decorative top stitching, but it looks so sporty (probably why I was drawn to it) that I'm not sure it's right for a gala. What about sleeves? I like the sleeveless, but it's notoriously colder than a witch's tit here on new years and I'll take all the coverage I can get. Maybe I should just wear my cat costume... it's warm.

Option two is this Lisette (Simplicity) 1666. I've seen this one made up a couple of times and the resulting top makes me hopeful. It has all the features I like: cut-on cap sleeve, princess seams for easier fitting (including my usual broad back adjustment), and the peplum is different too – not so sticky-outy. My friend and I were discussing peplums the other day and while we both like the shape they give, we find them uncomfortable in how they cut into your high waist and then there's a strip of skin hanging out in between that and where your pants/skirt start – especially if you like low rise bottoms. I'm hoping by making the skirt as well–that sits on my actual waist – the issue will be resolved.

As for fabric, I have no idea. The pieces I had in mind that are in my stash seem not fancy enough once I took the whole "gala" thing into consideration. If I can get either of these to fit properly in the muslin stage, I'm not opposed to getting some really special fabric...if I can find it. Any suggestions?

In any case, I should really get my act together because the holidays are going to come faster than I think.

5 comments:

Hmmmm...interesting dilemma! I am liking the CR dress. As for it being sleeveless, what about wearing it with a cute shrug?As for peplums, check out S1539...if you can see the pic of the model wearing the black version. The fabric looks quite "night out on the town".

I think I have a cardigan that would work. It's probably going to be sleeveless. When scoping out what is available at Fabricland on the weekend, can you believe that the fabric I was drawn to was really loud animal print?? I almost had myself convinced.

My only recent success with dresses has been a tunic style knit dress which doesn't scream 'fancy'. I do however have the pattern V2900 sitting on my sewing table...but haven't pick out fabric. My colleague had made this dress and the a-line was very flattering.

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About Me

When choosing what you want to do in life, listen to the 14 year old you when it's screaming that you love to make things. Your 38 year old self will thank you. I love and have learned to love many other things: cats, exercising, brussel sprouts, gardening, and taking the bus to work (truthfully, I'm still working on that one).